Fit more fun into your fitness while exploring the outdoors.

Tag Archives: coach b

A couple of years ago my coach at the time suggested I try drinking 100% coconut water to rehydrate after a hard workout. Sadly at the time his words went in one ear and out the other. Now, years later I’m finding that the cloudy liquid inside a coconut has become highly popular and is currently all the rage.

Basically, coconut water contains more potassium than most sports drinks along with a huge list of other impressive claims: it cleanses your digestive tract, fights viruses like Herpes and AIDS, raises your metabolism and I even saw some data that suggested that it promotes hair growth (soak your bald head with it).

In the end, 100% coconut water is a naturally refreshing drink full of electrolytes. Use it to rehydrate after an intense workout. I think it tastes pretty good, although my friend Jacks thinks it tastes like “toilet water.” My suggestion to her was put it in the blender with some frozen fruit and whip up a post workout smoothie. Try it with frozen banana chunks, strawberries, add some yogurt, whatever floats your boat.

Running stairs is fun. I know you think I’m crazy but I like running the stairs. Not as much as I like drinking wine and eating pizza but in terms of exercise, running the stairs has its merits.

For starters, stair climbing is extremely time efficient as it can burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes (depending on your pace and body weight). Plus, stairs work your butt, quads and hamstrings as well as give you a good dose of both cardio and strength building. It’s a double whammy.

Things to do on the stairs

First – get your legs good and warmed up

Mix it up – Jog up, run up or hop up

Lunge – don’t hit every step – skip a step – take every other step

Cross over – hit every step but cross your right leg over your left, and then your left over your right as you move up each step.

Side step – walk up the steps sideways skipping a step between steps.

Walk back down – it’s safer

Form

Stand tall and bend from the hip joint. Never hunch over or swing your arms way out in front of you. When swinging your arms think “cheek to cheek,” your fingertips should graze your hind cheek and then the cheek on your face. I learned that from my old chum Coach B. It’s very helpful!

When placing your foot down on the step make sure to get your entire foot on the step to avoid injury.

Push off from the bottom step. Think “push, push.” That too is helpful if you imagine your foot pushing your body off each step.

In case you’re wondering

Twenty flights of stairs is equal to about a mile, 16-20 stairs make up a flight.

It’s not too late to sign up the Lung Associations Climb for Air. The event is March 26th. It’s only 52 flights. That’s less than 4 times up The Filbert Steps and just a few more steps than 4 times up Lyon Street.

I hope you enjoyed my little video. That’s Diana, she calls herself The Whiner. I know it’s a little dark but we workout outside in the evenings. It was my first, I’ll get better…

They say that if you stand up straight you’ll look 10 lbs thinner. I’d have to agree. While you’re working on your New Years diet and exercise regiment take an easy 10 lbs off with these common sense tips to adjust your posture.

Your feet are designed to point straightforward, directly beneath your knees. Feet and kneecaps should be pointed forward, not splayed out to the side. The body was designed to move at right angles. Remember that.

Hips should be level. One side should not be higher than the other or jutted forward. Hips should sit directly under the shoulders and over the knees when standing. Put your hands on your hips and look in the mirror. Think about those right angles and make adjustments as needed.

While you’re looking in the mirror look at your shoulders. They should be level and parallel to your hips, not hunched forward over your knees. If one hip rides up than that shoulder may ride up as well. Not good.

Your head should be erect and chin level. Nose should not be pointed up or down.

Same thing when you’re sitting. Feet straightforward, under knees. Hips square, shoulders over hips, head erect…

Remember, your body is one unit designed to move at right angles. If one part is out of balance it affects the whole party.

For fun, do a little self check based on the above tips and see what you think. If you choose to make an effort to revise your posture, know that initially it’ll be hard to get your body to remember the right angle rule automatically. It’ll take some thought and attention on your part but with practice eventually your new and better posture will become the norm. Give it a try. You’ll look and feel better for it.

By the way, most of what I’ve shared here was taken from The Egoscue Method. It’s a very common sense approach to movement and physical health. Check it out! (Thanks Coach B for turning me onto it.)